Local Businessman Establishes Scholarship For Barksdale Airmen

Bossier Parish Community College has a new $50,000 scholarship fund set aside for military personnel from Barksdale AFB, all donated by one local businessman.

According to a press release from BPCC:

To honor the service, dedication, and sacrifice of members of the U.S. military stationed at Barksdale AFB, local businessman John E. Atkins of Atco Investment Company is donating $50,000 to Bossier Parish Community College to establish the Atkins Family Scholarship Fund for Barksdale AFB Military Personnel.

Annual scholarships totaling up to $10,000 will be awarded from the Atkins fund to help remove barriers for members of the military as they pursue academic degrees and/or professional certifications at BPCC.

“My wife, Lindsay, and I have enjoyed getting to know the airmen and officers of Barksdale through our involvement in the Military Affairs Council, and we are pleased to have this opportunity to assist those members of the base who are interested in furthering their formal education,” says Atkins. “These men and women have given so much to our country through their service to the Air Force, and we are blessed to be able to show our appreciation in this small way.”

The Atkins Family Scholarship Fund for Barksdale AFB Military Personnel will also make it easier for active duty service men and women who experience deployment to resume their education by reactivating their award upon returning to Barksdale AFB. Spouses of active duty military may also be considered for assistance from the fund.

BPCC Chancellor Rick Bateman, Jr. says the College is honored to have such a dedicated and supportive community partner. “The Atkins family shares BPCC’s vision of access and success, and this scholarship fund will open the door to many new opportunities for our military students and their spouses.”

For more information, contact Susan Stakes in BPCC’s Veteran Education Services office at 318-678-6472 or Stephanie Rogers, Director of Institutional Advancement, at 318-678-6010.